Echoes of Time
by ToriLynnSlytherin
Summary: Back in the Department of Mysteries, Hermione stole a very unusual time-turner before all of the rest were destroyed. Suddenly she is transported back in time to 1944, where a certain dark wizard is also about to start his 6th year at Hogwarts. Why was she sent back in time? Can she find a way back to 1996? And what did the future Dark Lord want with her? Tomione, M to be safe!
1. Chapter 1

" **Echoes of Time"**

 **A/N:** To those of you who have read my previous stories, I am sorry for taking so long to update any of them. Life had been very, very busy, but I'm working on it. As it is, this story suddenly popped in my head and I had to write it before it left me. I hope you will understand and I hope you enjoy this story! Please leave a review!

 **Disclaimer:** **All characters and places belong to J.K. Rowling, the plot is mine! :) Lyrics at the beginning of chapter one are from the song "Echoes" by Young Guns. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **"On** _ **and on it echoes,**_

 _ **Memories that flicker in my head.**_

 _ **Hard to let go,**_

 _ **I follow like a lamb to slaughter led.**_

 _ **Time moves so slow;**_

 _ **Recite our verses,**_

 _ **Poems for the dead.**_

 _ **Hard to let go,**_

 _ **Watch it rot 'til nothing's left."**_

* * *

Chapter 1

Their voices carried throughout the backyard. Loud, boisterous laughter and shouts of glee made by the Weasley children and their friends…all except for one.

They were all due to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry within the following few days and the Weasley twins, Fred and George, has decided to throw them all a "small, going away" party: complete with copious amounts of firewhiskey, butterbeer, and fireworks.

"Another!" yelled Harry as he downed yet another shot of firewhiskey.

"Harry," Hermione warned. "Don't you think you've had enough?" She said quietly to him.

"My godfather, the closest I've ever had to a father just died and Voldemort tried to possess me roughly two months ago. Who knows what he'll try to do this year?" He replied roughly, grabbing the glass that Ron had grabbed and held out for him. Hermione took a step backwards, her mouth agape in shock; feeling almost as if she'd been slapped across the face.

"Lay off of him, Hermione. He's been having a rough summer so far." Ron said quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder consolingly. "Just allow him this night to let loose a little, yeah?" He walked away from her, rejoining the small gathering of family and classmates.

Hermione looked around her; she was left just a little ways away from the party, by herself. She quickly downed the rest of the butterbeer she had left in her bottle. She needed space. She couldn't believe that her friends were being so ridiculous. Sure, after everything that had happened they deserved a little bit of fun, but excessively drinking and dancing around a large bonfire wasn't Hermione's idea of fun. Plus, there were way too many people for her to feel comfortable. In fact, nobody would probably even notice if she decided to slip away for a little while for some time to herself.

She began to walk to outskirts of the Weasley property seeing the Burrow shrink further and further away until she reached her favorite spot. She found a giant oak tree situated next to a calm, quiet, small lake during the summer before her fourth year while staying with the Weasley family for the Quidditch World Cup. She decided to go for a stroll one morning to get in some summer reading while the weather was nice and found what was now her favorite little spot. She sank down on the soft grass, her back against the rough bark and roots of the Oak tree, just staring off into the distance. She began to think about what happened just a few short months ago at the Ministry of Magic. Harry had had yet another vision from Voldemort, and this time he was holding Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, hostage in the Department of Mysteries. Only, it was false. Voldemort had learned about the connection between his and Harry's mind and it was all a set-up. He intended to use Harry to obtain a prophecy that had been made about him and the boy. A battle ensued between Harry, his friends, and Voldemort's followers: the Death Eaters. Thankfully, the Order of the Phoenix, including the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, had come to the rescue. Unfortunately, not everyone made it out; most importantly, Harry's godfather, Sirius. His deranged cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, killed him. Hermione shivered at the thought. Mostly everyone received minor scrapes and bruises. Hermione however, was cursed during the battle and was left with a dull soreness and had to take no less than 10 potions a day for several weeks following the attack. She didn't know what curse her attacker, Antonin Dolohov, had used, but she knew it was like a purple flame was sent forth from the tip of his wand, aiming for her chest, as it licked it's way up the left side of her body. She had tried to research it in the library before classes ended but couldn't find anything of significance on it. She vowed to possibly get a pass to the restricted section during the new school term to expand her research and possibly find a cure to the soreness she felt from time to time.

There was also one more thing that Hermione had neglected to tell anyone. During the battle, trying to get away from the Death Eaters hadn't exactly been easy. In the Department of Mysteries, there were several doors that led to all different sorts of rooms. One of those rooms housed no more than 100 time-turners. She was trying to escape one Death Eater with Ginny, when the young girl had casted a very powerful "reducto" spell, causing all of the rows of the magical devices to fall upon the dark wizard and crash upon him and the floor… but not all of them. Hermione had managed to snatch one before it fell to the ground and smashed into a thousand pieces. This was possibly the only one left in Great Britain!

She removed the time-turner from beneath her light sweater and held it in her palm. She had refused to remove the necklace from her person since that day, afraid of losing it. She stared at it intently, wondering how the devices worked. She had researched them in her third year when she had been granted permission to use one to attend all of her extra classes, but only briefly. She looked at it now and wondered why other witches and wizards would use them. Had anyone ever used them to go back in time for more than just a few hours? Had anyone ever done that? Was it possible to go back even a few years?! If it was possible, why didn't anyone use it to stop the Death Eaters from getting into the Ministry and killing Sirius? Or the deaths of Harry's parents, Lily and James Potter? Why wasn't it used to stop the rise of Lord Voldemort while he was still in school?! She thought she heard a slight whisper coming from the device but passed it off as the alcohol she had drank and the wind, she was a lightweight after all. She looked back to the time-turner after looking around to make sure nobody had found her. She noticed that the sand inside the hourglass, situated in the middle, was a slight red color. _"That's odd."_ She thought to herself. Every other one she had seen or read about had been a slight golden color. She shook the thought from her mind and returned to those previously, about nobody using them to change the past, although she knew that there were serious consequences when meddling with time, to change the past for the good and safety of the future!

She closed her eyes and held the time-turner tightly in her hand. The wind began to pick up, as did her anger about nobody using this special magical device to alter the past. She felt a slight sting against her hand and opened it to see the sand inside the hourglass begin to glow. She was confused and nervous at first but her eyes widened and her fear increased as she realized what might have been happening. Before she could let go, the world around her started to spin, and then suddenly her world went black.

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes, blinking slowly. She rubbed at them as she tried to take in her surroundings. She was still lying upon soft grass, but was surrounded by many trees. She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol from the party, but she knew she hadn't been smashed from the party like the rest of her friends, but something felt _off_. She then realized that she didn't see the lake she had been sitting near, or the oak tree. She didn't even see the Burrow in the distance. In fact, the air was a lot cooler where she was, reminding her of her second home in the Scottish Highlands, reminding her of _"Hogwarts?"_ She thought. She strained her eye to see through the light mist that was surrounding her, confirming her thoughts.

"Oh no, oh no! What have I done?" She quietly whispered to herself.

She sat up slowly, staring up at the gates of Hogwarts for the first time in slight horror. She suddenly saw somebody approaching and quietly prayed that it was Albus Dumbledore and that he could help her figure out what had happened.

"Hello? Are you lost?"" A voice asked her. He certainly didn't sound like Dumbledore. She drew her wand, ready to attack if this person meant her any harm.

"I'm sorry, but I'm looking for Professor Albus Dumbledore. I'm a bit confused at the moment and have some questions that only he could answer for me. I must speak with him immediately." She responded, the figure still too far away for her to make out their face.

"Well, perhaps I can help you. Unfortunately the school term hasn't started yet so he hasn't arrived yet. I see you have a wand and you seem to be young, you must be a student. I am currently the Headmaster here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Hermione stared wide-eyed as the gates opened and she finally recognized the man standing in front of her. His name was Armando Dippet, the former Headmaster before Dumbledore had taken his place after his passing.

Her face Drained of all color as she realized what must have happened for her to be in this predicament. The time-turner, which was once around around her neck, had sent her back in time…but not several hours. Not even several years! No… it had sent her back several _decades_! Judging by the style of the wizard's robes, and that fact that she was talking to Armando Dippet (whom was supposed to be _dead_ ), she deducted that she was sent back to sometime in either the 40's or 50's.

"What year is it?" She asked faintly.

"I'm sorry?" This man, apparently Armando Dippet, asked her.

"I said, what year is it?" she repeated, her wide, chocolate brown eyes finally making eye contact with him.

"Well, what a silly question. It's 1944 of course!" He replied chuckling. Her face drained of color for the second time in such a short span of time. This wasn't good; this was not good _at all_. Not only was she sent back decades in the past…oh no. She was sent back to the exact time when a certain wizard would be attending his sixth year at Hogwarts. She was sent back to the time when Tom Riddle Jr., later to be known as the darkest wizard to terrorize Great Britain, currently attended classes. She gasped in horror and fell to the ground before she fainted with one thought on her mind. She had to find a way back to 1996, or face attending classes with a young Lord Voldemort.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! I already have plans for Chapters 2 & 3 and can hopefully write and upload them by the end of the month! I also know somewhat where the story is going to end and already has several different endings planned! Leave a review, favorite, and follow and let me know what you think! Much love, ToriLynn


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:**_ _ **Hey guys! Here with Chapter 2! I know I haven't uploaded my other stories in a ridiculously long time but good things take time! This story struck me and I have it pretty much outlined on where I want it to go so hopefully I can get out the next chapter or two within the following month! Hope you guys enjoy and please review!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 _~Previously~_

 _This wasn't good; this wasn't good_ atall _. Not only was she sent back decades in the past… oh no. She was sent back to the exact time when a certain wizard would be attending his sixth year at Hogwarts. She was sent back to the time when Tom Riddle Jr., later to be known as the darkest wizard to terrorize Great Britain, currently attended classes. She gasped in horror and fell to the ground before she fainted with one thought on her mind. She had to find a way back to 1996, or face attending classes with a young Lord Voldemort._

 _~End Recap~_

* * *

She heard soft whispers around her, yet they sounded very far away. She didn't recognize any of the voices though and her panic started to set in a bit. Who were they? Where was she? It then struck her where she was. She remembered arriving at the gates of Hogwarts by some type of time-travel. But how was it possible that she traveled from 1996 all the way back to 1944? It just wasn't possible! There was no record on any of the research she did back in third year that stated that a time-turner could take someone back several years, let alone decades!

She slowly started to open her eyes to put some sort of faces to the voices she heard. She heard the now familiar voice of the current Headmaster; Armando Dippet; and the very comforting, very familiar voice of the current Transfiguration professor and future Headmaster of Hogwarts: Albus Dumbledore. They were speaking quietly with a matronly woman, although she was very young in this time. Hermione realized with it start that it was Poppy Pomfrey. Her gasp alerted her visitors that she was now awake. The nurse came rushing over, a cart with a jug of water and some potions bottles right behind her.

"Hello dear, I'm Madam Pomfrey. How are you feeling?" Asked the kind woman Hermione knew from her future. She smiled kindly before replying.

"I'm Hermione, very nice to meet you. I'm alright, I guess. A little thirsty and tired." She answered honestly.

"Not to worry, dear! I'll pour you out some water and have some food sent up from the kitchens. Anything in particular?"

"Chicken noodle soup, if possible? It's the best here." She responded, not noticing her slip. The nurse looked at her strangely but smiled anyway, bustling away to call a house-elf to get her meal. However, someone else's interest was also piqued. Hermione looked up to find a pair of sparkling blue eyes watching her. He approached her with Armando Dippet following behind him.

"Hello, Miss-" he asked her.

"Granger, sir."

"Miss Granger. Pleasure to meet you. I'm the Transfiguration professor here at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. How are you feeling this evening?" he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I'm fine, I guess." She answered truthfully…again.

"Do you remember anything from earlier tonight?" Mr. Dippet asked.

"If by earlier you mean my encounter with you? Then, yes. If you're asking about how I got to Hogwarts however, not so much."

"How you got to Hogwarts? What do you mean by that?" Professor Dumbledore asked, very intrigued by what she might have to say.

She looked around nervously. There didn't seem to be any other occupants in the Hospital Wing besides herself, the two professors, and the matron. Should she tell them the truth or make something up? Surely they'd think that she was completely barmy if she told them that she was from the year 1996, but as she looked at the both of them she knew that she could do nothing but be truthful and honest if she had any hope of returning back to her timeline.

"I'm not quite sure where to start," she started, just before a bed tray and a small bowl of chicken noodle soup arrived in front of her.

"Why don't you eat your meal while you collect your thoughts. We need to speak to Madam Pomfrey about some things anyway." Professor Dippet started, getting up from the seat he has taken and heading to the nurses office. However, Dumbledore remained seated. Hermione took a few spoonfuls of her soup before looking up at Dumbledore who was watching her curiously.

"Is there anything the matter, sir?" Hermione asked, squirming in her seat a bit. She felt uncomfortable with the way he was smiling at her. Almost like he knew something that she didn't.

"Nothing is wrong, per say. But nothing is ever right either, is it?" He asked, cocking his head to the side, still watching her. She snorted and smiled to herself. The same old Dumbledore, always speaking in riddles. At least some things never changed. They remained in comfortable silence until Headmaster Dippet came back to settle himself back into the chair next to Dumbledore on the side of Hermione's bed.

"How was your dinner?" He asked kindly.

"Delicious, thank you." She answered, starting to fidget with her hands, knowing what was coming.

"So," started the Headmaster. "How about you start with giving us some basic information about yourself: name, date of birth, etcetera."

"Um…well," she started nervously. "My name is Hermione Jean Granger, I am about to start my 6th year of schooling at Hogwarts. I was born on September 19, 1979." She glanced up to see both professors looking at her strangely.

"Well that's…odd." Dippet said. "Poppy says that you have no scraped or bruises and no head injuries as well."

"I'm not crazy if that's what you think." Hermione answered heatedly. "Does this look familiar?" she asked, pulling the time-turner from thankfully still around her neck, deciding to be bold and come right out with it.

"Where did you get that?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes slightly wide in surprise.

"I'm not crazy." She stated again. She then recounted her story to them about her life leading up to this point, including the parts about Lord Voldemort, and his return, how she nicked the time-turner from the Department of Mysteries right before the summer, up until where she showed up on Hogwarts's grounds.

"Well, that certainly is a lot to take in." Dumbledore answered.

"But it also comes with some bad news." Dippet added, gravely.

"What do you mean?" she asked nervously, but fearing she already knew the answer.

"Unfortunately, my dear girl, we have no knowledge or means on how to send you back to year 1996."

"But, but you have to! There has to be some way!" She cried desperately. She had been right, it was the worst news possible.

"I'm sorry, my dear but his is correct. No one has ever been known to go to the future, only backwards in time. Has there been any research in your time on how to advance forward in time?" Dumbledore asked.

Hermione frowned, "No, sir. There hasn't."

"I'm very sorry to hear that. In the meantime what would you like to do? Unfortunately we can't continue to keep you in the Hospital Wing forever." Dippet said with a small smile.

Hermione sighed. To be honest, she hadn't given this a thought. She was certain that there was a way back to 1996. The school year was supposed to start; she could always continue her education. Surely she couldn't leave Hogwarts, she had nowhere to go and no money. Her parents haven't even been born yet! How would she pay for her school supplies though? Another thought came to mind as she was seriously considering staying at Hogwarts, maybe also possibly researching ways to get back… but did she really want to attend classes with her best friend's future enemy? The mass murdered who had killed him parents? Maybe, just maybe, it would be good. Maybe she could change some things. She knew she shouldn't meddle with time, but she would be doing it for the greater good, right?

"I think I'd like to stay and continue my education." Hermione answered, her heart sinking just a little bit, knowing that she may be stuck there forever.

"Oh, how wonderful!" exclaimed Headmaster Dippet. "Well, the school year starts in a few days, but we can get you set up with all of your school supplies and clothing in the meantime."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid I haven't any money to afford anything."

"Not to worry, Miss Granger," Dumbledore answered. "We can provide you with all of your school supplied and robes as well as some spending money. You are free to use that on casual clothes or whatever else you desire." He gave her a warm smile as she nodded her head graciously.

"Thank you so much sir," she whispered. "I will pat you back one day." He winked at her with that special twinkle in his eye, which made Hermione think that he knew something she didn't.

"In that case, we'll let you rest up before the rest of the students arrive in the coming days." Both Dippet and Dumbledore left, closing the infirmary doors softly behind them and leaving Hermione to her thoughts.

Did she really want to do this? Did she really want to see this younger version of Lord Voldemort: Tom Riddle? She didn't, but for the sake of saving so many people, she would. But how would she do it? She lay back and spent the rest of her time devising a plan on how to take down this dark wizard until sleep consumed her.

* * *

The next day came and went. She had received her school supplied and robes and they had been moved into the Headmaster's office until she was sorted into a house. They had also provided her with some casual clothes to start with until the first Hogsmeade trip came around. September 1st had finally come and Hermione was more nervous than she had been her first time stepping foot inside the castle. The Headmaster had informed her that the sorting of the first years would happen as normal and then she would be introduced as a recent transfer student and be sorted. This was the part that she was somewhat nervous about. She knew she would be asked questions about her transfer and her family, and she had to make it believable. She worked on a story with Headmaster Dippet and Professor Dumbledore and had practiced in a small mirror several times to make it sound as believable as possible. She just hope that whatever students asked her would buy it. However, the sorting was what was making her sweat. What if she was sorted into Gryffindor again? She may never get a chance to get close to Voldemort and learn his weaknesses. She may be able to infiltrate as a Ravenclaw but certainly not as a Hufflepuff. Her best chance was as a Slytherin, but could she convince the Sorting Hat to place her there, as Harry had convinced the hat to place him in Gryffindor? She had no other choice. If it denied her request she would have to settle for Ravenclaw.

* * *

It was time. She was just introduced by Headmaster Dippet and the giant doors of the Great Hall opened before her. Every head in the Hall turned to look at this new student. She looked around the Hall as she walked slowly up to the dais and the stool with the hat atop it. She caught sight of the Slytherin table and almost tripped over her own feet as she finally saw him: Tom Marvolo Riddle. She has heard descriptions of him from Dumbledore and Harry. He was always described as handsome but this was a different form… he was beautiful. He had dark hair and stormy blue/grey eyes; eyes that were currently staring into her whiskey brown colored ones. They gave her a calculating look, as if he were sizing her up. She turned away and walked a little faster up to the front. She smiled when she reached the woman standing with the hat in her hands. She gave a startled jump when the woman welcomed her with a very distinct Scottish brogue… it was Professor McGonagall! She remembered at this time that her beloved Professor was working as an assistant to Professor Dumbledore in Transfiguration, as Dumbledore would be Headmaster soon. She gingerly took a seat upon the stool and the hat was placed upon her head.

 _"Curious…yes. You've met me before, haven't you?" the hat asked._

 _"Yes. In another time." She answered in her head._

 _"I can see you'd do well in Ravenclaw, very intelligent. Also very brave, Gryffindor would serve you well."_

 _"Please," she pleaded. "What about Slytherin?"_

 _"Slytherin, eh? You sure are ambitious, but why there?"_

 _"It's for the greater good. Please, I beg you. Just anything but Hufflepuff or Gryffindor." She pleaded again._

 _"Well, with ambition such as that, I can't deny you. Better be:_ SLYTHERIN!" the hat roared. Hermione sighed in relief and made her way quickly to the Slytherin table to some clapping and cheering. She noticed that same pair of grey/blue eyes staring at her with a smirk upon his face. She swallowed nervously as she looked away. She was in for a lot of trouble this school year, and this year it wasn't because of Harry and Ron. She just hoped she would succeed.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _ **Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed that chapter! I know it's pretty short but I felt like it should end there. Up next, Hermione will meet some of the other students of Slytherin and maybe finally interact with Tom! Leave a review and let me know what you'd like to see incorporated into my story and I can try to work it in! Much love!**_

 _ **~ToriLynn**_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** **Hey guys! Sorry this took a little while! This chapter is mostly just plot and Hermione getting to know some of her new peers and such but the next chapter will be much more fun! Please drop a review after reading and let me know what you think! Apologies for any spelling of grammar mistakes! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 _~Previously~_

" _Curious…yes. You've met me before, haven't you?" the hat asked._

 _"Yes. In another time." She answered in her head._

 _"I can see you'd do well in Ravenclaw, very intelligent. Also very brave, Gryffindor would serve you well."_

 _"Please," she pleaded. "What about Slytherin?"_

 _"Slytherin, eh? You sure are ambitious, but why there?"_

 _"It's for the greater good. Please, I beg you. Just anything but Hufflepuff or Gryffindor." She pleaded again._

 _"Well, with ambition such as that, I can't deny you. Better be: SLYTHERIN!" the hat roared. Hermione sighed in relief and made her way quickly to the Slytherin table to some clapping and cheering. She noticed that same pair of grey/blue eyes staring at her with a smirk upon his face. She swallowed nervously as she looked away. She was in for a lot of trouble this school year, and this year it wasn't because of Harry and Ron. She just hoped she would succeed._

 _~End Recap~_

* * *

Hermione cautiously took a seat next to a group of girls who looked about her age, making sure to keep some distance and whom she was sure to be the young Tom Riddle.

"Welcome to Slytherin!" a tall girl with blonde hair said to Hermione.

"Oh," she started. "Thank you. I'm Hermione Granger." She said politely.

"Astraea Thompson." The girl responded kindly. "This here is Giselle Browne, Violet Avery, Regula Black, and Amelia Parkinson." She said pointing to the surrounding girls. They all gave Hermione small smiles as she nodded her head to each one as they were introduced. She recognized some of the names from her time, such as Black, Parkinson, and Avery, but tried not to act too surprised.

"So, what's your story?" Amelia Parkinson asked bluntly.

"Yes, please do tell, you beautiful creature." Responded a tall boy with brown hair and striking blue eyes, sitting down next to her. Hermione looked up in surprise to see him and his friends taking seats next to her and the girls. Among them was the boy from earlier with the stormy grey eyes.

"Oh, shove off, Nott!" Violet Avery responded back, rolling her eyes and the boy, shifting closer to Hermione's other side.

"Just being friendly." He grinned. "Quinton Nott." He bowed his head, taking Hermione's hand and kissing her knuckles lightly, making her blush.

"Don't slobber all over the girl, you animal." Came a deep voice from across the table from her. She looked up into those eyes, the ones that captivated hers since she walked into the hall. She drank him in from his dark hair, to his blue/grey eyes, his high cheekbones, full lips, angular jaw, slender neck, broad shoulders, and what seemed to be a muscular chest and torso, to his long legs. All nearly 6 feet of pure, handsome, body of a God.

"You've seemed to make her speechless, Tom." Astraea giggled.

"What girl wouldn't be?" she heard Giselle whisper softly, causing the other girls to break into a fit of giggles and breaking her out of her sudden trance.

"Pleasure to meet you," she started.

"Tom Riddle." He responded, taking the seat across from her. "And I assure you, the pleasure is all mine." And there it was, a panty-dropping grin of all straight, blindingly white teeth. She almost fainted.

 _"Stop it!"_ she berated herself. _"This is Voldemort! Not a potential love interest!"_

She cleared her throat and gave him a tight smile before summoning up all of her Gryffindor courage that she still had, "Is that what you tell every girl, Tom?" she asked kindly. She patted herself on the back as his eyes widened comically and his mouth dropped open, stunned. Clearly, no one had ever answered back to him before. It was followed by laughter from her new classmates.

"Oh, I think I'm really going to like her." Violet Avery said.

"I've never seen _him_ speechless." Hermione froze. She'd know that face anywhere, even if it was 50 years in the past, she would never forget it. The scar across her shoulder to her torso tingled. She swallowed heavily.

"Antonin Dolohov." She said smiling, taking a seat next to Tom. She didn't know what to say but was thankfully saved with the clinking of glass up on the teacher's platform. Headmaster Dippet took center stage before casting a sonorous charm on his voice.

* * *

"Good evening students!" Welcome to another enchanting year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! I trust you all had a safe trip? Wonderful! Firstly, I would like to give a warm welcome to our first years, and to our new transfer student! We wish you the best of luck this year. I would also like to welcome back our returning students, may you all continue to succeed in your academics. Now, for introductions! I am Armando Dippet, your Headmaster of Hogwarts. Deputy Headmaster, Transfiguration professor, and Head of Gryffindor house, we have Albus Dumbledore," he said, as the professor stood. "Professor Galatea Merrythought for Defense Against the Dark Arts; Herbert Berry: Professor of Herbology and Head of Hufflepuff; Silvanus Kettleburn: Care of Magical Creatures; Enid Rowe: Divination; Horace Slughorn: Potions Master and Head of Slytherin; Cuthbert Binns: History of Magic," Hermione looked up in surprise to see a very much alive Professor Binns. This year was definitely going to be interesting. She sighed and turned back to the people at her table, noticing Tom Riddle looking at her once again as if analyzing her, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"Bathsheda Babbling: Ancient Runes, "Dippet continued, "Filius Flitwick: Charms and Head of Ravenclaw; Aurora Sinistra: Astronomy; Barnabus Vector: Arithmancy; and of course Ogg: Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts and Apollyon Pringle, our caretaker. I would just like to remind all students that the Forest is forbidden! More announcements and schedules will be given on Monday morning. Enjoy your weekend to catch up with your friends and make new ones! Enjoy the feast!" He finished as the tables were filed with a plethora of food from the kitchens.

"So, what's your story, gorgeous? Dolohov asked. His eating habits reminded her of Ron and her eyes started to mist as she thought about her friend that she would probably never see again.

"Oh, can you be anymore crude?" Astraea reprimanded the boy.

"No, " Hermione interjected. "It's okay." All eyes turned to her as she took a deep breath before beginning the small lie she had formed with Professor Dumbledore and Headmaster Dippet. "My parents were American and once they found out that they were expecting me, they relocated to London for a fresh start. I grew up an only child, no other family besides my parents and some very distant ones down the line that none of us were close with; until one day, dad went out to get some things for dinner, but he never made it home. Some Ministry officials came by and informed us that my father had been attacked by some of Grindelwald's followers," there were several gasps around the table. "My mother was heartbroken… they say that's how she passed: a broken heart. The Ministry managed to locate a very distant relative of my mother's in the United States and sent me there. She recently passed and the Ministry out there asked what I wanted to do. Since of almost of age and I grew up here, I decided to move back and attend Hogwarts."

"Oh, honey. You poor thing!" Violet said, taking her hand.

"What are you?" Walden Macnair asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I'm sorry?" She asked, confused by his question.

"What are you? Blood status?" He asked again. She knew this was going to be brought up and took the easy route.

"Half-blood." She answered quickly.

"Well," he replied smiling, not unkindly. "Welcome to Slytherin."

She breathed a sigh of relief; they seemed to have bought her story. She smiled sadly and tucked into her meal, listening to the chatter around her until the tables cleared and her new "friends" started to rise from the table.

"Come on, Hermione," Amelia said. "Let's show you to the Slytherin common room."

* * *

Hermione snaked her arm through the girl's outstretched one and the 6 girls made their way to the dungeons, the boys slowly following them. The exited the Great Hall and made a left out of the room towards the marble staircase. She almost made to walk up the stairs but remembered at the last second that she wasn't a Gryffindor anymore and she wouldn't be traveling to the 7th floor. Instead, she was now a Slytherin and her new home would be in the dungeons. They reached a door that she had never really noticed and made their way down a set of stone steps, which led them deep into the dungeons. /they made a few more turns before they came to a stop in front of a blank stone wall.

"Has anyone got the password? I forgot what it said in out letters." Nicholas asked. Hermione was shifted slightly to the side as Tom moved past her to stand in front of the wall. She felt a jolt of lightening shoot up her spine as he touched her. He must have felt it too because he looked back at her curiously before whispering the password: "Potestate esuriit."

 _"Hmm… power-hungry?"_ Hermione thought. _"How original."_ They all filed into the common room, the boys quickly taking up some seats on the black leather couches in front of the already lit fireplace. Hermione had never been inside of the Slytherin common room but she had listened to Harry and Ron's description of it in her second year after they had used polyjuice potion to sneak in there and question Draco Malfoy about the heir of Slytherin. She was slightly disappointed to learn that they were absolutely right: it seemed foreboding… and cold; uninviting. There were greenish lamps hanging from the ceiling, giving the room a whole greenish hue. Dark green and black low backed and button-tufted chairs and sofas littered the room. There were also a few dark wood cupboards and desks against the walls.

"C'mon, Hermione. Let's go show you to your new dormitory."

She followed the girls across the common room to an open archway she noticed on the far side of the room. They ascended yet another stone staircase that came to a small landing on the top with a hallway to the left and one to the right.

"All of the girl's dormitories are on the left. Boys are on the right." Amelia explained. "There are 7 doors down each hall, for all of the years, with the corresponding number on the front." She continued as they took the first door on the left with a silver number "6" hanging on the door. "And here we are! We'll let you have first pick of whichever bed you'd like."

"Oh no, I couldn't! You girls have been here all of these years. You must have some preference for where you'd prefer to sleep?" She asked.

"Honestly, no bed is better than the ones we have at home, but any bed here is fine with us. Whichever bed you'd like, it's yours."

Hermione looked around the room once again and decided on the bed on the right, right near a small window. She walked over and ran her hand along the dark green curtains. As she did that a small pop sounded through the room and she noticed her trunk appear at the end of her bed. The girls all did the same with theirs, their magical signatures signifying their sleeping arrangement.

"This is it." She said. "Is that the Black Lake?" She asked turning to the window beside her, gazing into the murky water.

"The one and only!" Astraea exclaimed. "It's on of the reasons why all of the Slytherin dorms have their own bathrooms attached to the rooms," she said, pointing to a door on the left that Hermione hadn't noticed before. She gave her roommate a curious look. Astraea giggled before explaining, "Let's just say that the merpeople are a _curious_ bunch."

Hermione giggled as well before heading over to check it out. Her eyes widened in shock. There were 6 shower stalls, separate toilets, sinks, and one very large bathtub about the size of a small swimming pool. It reminded her of the Prefect's bathroom on the 5th floor.

"Wow!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I know," Violet said, leaning against the doorframe. "You'll get used to it over time though. Now come on, it's Friday night and I know the boys have some drinks they want to share!" she said while flouncing out of the room and back down to the common room.

"Drinks? What kind of drinks, like alcohol?" Hermione asked. "Is that allowed?"

"Of course not silly! But that's doesn't stop us Slytherins!" Regula said, heading out after Violet.

"You don't have to drink if you don't want to Hermione. But the boys might give you a bit of a hard time about it." Giselle added.

"Oh no, it's fine. I was just surprised is all." Hermione answered before following the remaining girls out. She was nervous but she needed to fit in and get closer to her new peers, and most importantly, close to Tom Riddle. The reached the bottom of the steps and Hermione noticed that only the 6th year students remained.

"There she is, my new favorite girl!" Garrick exclaimed loudly! "We saved a seat for you right here!" He said indicating a spot between himself and Quinton. She sat down on the couch and examined the table in front of her. It was filled with various glasses and there were several bottles of Ogden's finest mead, Elf-made wine, butterbeer, and firewhiskey. Only the best of the best for Slytherins.

"Pick your poison." Tom said across from her, a smirk on his face. She swallowed heavily and took a deep breath before taking a glass and filling it a little over halfway with firewhiskey.

Well this will be fun." Garrick said. "Let the games begin!"

* * *

 **A/N:** **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Also let me know what you'd like to see! Much love!**

 **~ToriLynn**


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